university of louisiana at lafayette1 assessing schools as professional learning communities dianne...
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University of Louisiana at Lafayette 1
Assessing Schools asProfessional Learning Communities
Dianne F. Olivier, EDFL - University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Sandra Antoine, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/Iberia Parish
Ronald Cormier, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/Iberia Parish
Virginia Lewis, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/Iberia Parish
Cheri Minckler, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Molly Stadalis, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/St. Mary Parish
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 2
What is a PLC?
… where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and diverse patterns of thinking are valued, and where people are continually learning how to learn together.
Senge, 1990
Schools characterized by shared purpose, collaborative activity, and collective responsibility among staff.
Newmann & Wehlage, 1995
What is a PLC?
Professionals coming together in community
to intentionally learn. Shirley Hord
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An infrastructure, or way of working together, which results in continuous school improvement.
Professional Learning Communities
Professional educators working collectively and purposefully to
create and sustain a culture of learning for all
students and adults.
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The purpose of these case studies was to assess teachers’ perceptions of professional learning community attributes within their school as measured by the Professional Learning Communities Assessment – Revised (PLCA-R).
Purpose of Study
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Methodology
Professional Learning Community Assessment - Revised (PLCA)
Formal diagnostic tool for identifying school level practices that enhance intentional professional learning.
Assesses perceptions of the staff related to specific practices observed at the school level with regard to the 5 dimensions of a PLC and critical attributes.
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Dimensions of a PLC
Shared and Supportive Leadership
Shared Values and Vision Collective Learning and
Application Shared Personal Practice Supportive Conditions
Relationships Structures
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Methodology PLCA-R Case Study
5 dimensions of PLCs – Quan & Qual results
PLCO-Professional Learning Community Organize Illustrates practices within dimensions & phases of change
PLCDR - PLC Development Rubric Provides for individual and small group dialogue reflection
Confronting and Renaming the Truth: A Case Study
Evans Junior High School
Molly StadalisUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 11
Conceptual Definitions•Shared and Supportive Leadership
• School administrators participate democratically with teachers by sharing power, authority, and decision-making, and promoting and nurturing leadership among staff.
•Shared Values and Vision• Staff shares visions for school improvement that
have an undeviating focus on student learning. Shared values support norms of behavior that guide decisions about teaching and learning.
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Evans Junior High School
640 students in grades 4 – 8 65% of students are considered economically
disadvantaged (free & reduced lunch) Many students live in single parent households or with
family other than parents. Subgroup Information: 15% special education, 49%
African American, 50% white, 1% Hispanic & Indian Staff consists of 49 faculty members, librarian,
guidance counselor, paraprofessionals, cafeteria/custodial/office staff, 2 assistant principals, and principal
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Evans Junior High SchoolProfessional Learning Communities Assessment – Revised
Five Dimensions M SD_________________________________________________________
Shared and Supportive Leadership 3.39.47
Shared Values and Vision 3.32.53
Collective Learning and Application 3.44.43
Shared Personal Practice 3.32.52
Supportive Conditions 3.27 .40
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Shared & Supportive Leadership
Staff members are consistently involved in discussing and making decisions about most school issues.
The principal incorporates advice from staff members to make decisions.
Opportunities are provided for staff members to initiate change.
Stakeholders assume shared responsibility and accountability for student learning.
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Shared Values and Visions
A collaborative process exists for developing a shared sense of values and shared vision among staff.
Policies and programs are aligned to the school’s vision.
School goals focus on student learning beyond test scores and grades.
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A School In Search of Excellence
Madison Elementary
Virginia W. LewisUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 17
Conceptual Definition
• Collective Learning and Application
• Staff at all levels of the school share information and work collaboratively to plan, solve problems and improve learning opportunities. Together they seek knowledge, skills and strategies and apply this new learning to their work.
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Madison Elementary Demographic Data
Constructed in 1989 - NW outskirts of New Iberia Near middle income, single-family subdivision Grade configuration – PK - 6 80% free/reduced lunch - projected to increase to 92% in
2008-2009 Student population – 60% African American, 35% white
students, 5% Asian students, less than 1% Hispanic Most families - middle-income homes/trailer park housing Low-income housing complex/apartment dwelling in city School rezoning scheduled for 2008-2009 SPS–2 Stars School of Exemplary Academic Growth 2007-08 Highly qualified and stable staff
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Collective Learning and Application
Staff shares information Professionals learn togetherProblem solving occurs collectivelyCollaboration
Sharing Planning Problem Solving Improving learning opportunities for students
by improving professional practice
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Means and Standard Deviations for Dimensions of Professional Learning Communities ___________________________________________
Dimensions M SD
Shared and Supportive Leadership 3.47 .583
Shared Values and Vision 3.55 .623
Collective Learning and Application 3.58.558*
Shared Personal Practice 3.38 .626
Supportive Conditions- Relationships 3.50 .550Supportive Conditions- Structure 3.45 .599*Highest mean score of all dimensions
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Mean Scores for Dimensions of Professional Learning Communities
___________________________________________
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Standard Deviation Scores for Dimensions of Professional Learning Communities
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Responses Scale Total Responses
Percentage
Strongly Disagree
1 0 0.00%
Disagree 2 8 3.33%
Agree 3 83 34.58%
Strongly Agree
4 149 62.08%
Collective Learning and Application
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Collective Learning and Application
Staff meets weekly for grade level meetings Staff members collaboratively work Whole Faculty Study Groups (WFSG) facilitated by
early release time at district level Data driven decision making guides instruction and
interventions Multiple data sources evaluate effectiveness of
instruction Instructional staff demonstrates commitment to
research based strategies to increase student achievement
Culture of sharing and caring about student learning
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NEXT STEPS FOR MADISON ELEMENTARY
Ensure schools values and vision continue to center on student learning
Nurture and support teacher leadership at various levels Conduct needs assessment for changing demographics Focus on sustainability Develop mechanisms for increased opportunities for
shared personal practice and collaboration as evidenced by
scheduling time for peer observations, job-embedded staff development grade-level and cross grade-level meetings content specific study groups
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Optimizing High School Redesign:A Case Study
Bayouville High School
Cheri Hoff MincklerUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
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Conceptual Definition
•Shared Personal Practice
• Peers visit with and observe one another to offer encouragement and to provide feedback on instructional practices to assist in student achievement and increase individual and organizational capacity.
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What It Looks Like
Shared personal practice occurs “where educators collaboratively analyze current practices, experiment with new practices, and assess the relationship between practice and the effects of practice within the community context.” (Mitchell & Sackney, 1999)
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A Radical, Rigorous Exercise
Teachers meet to rigorously “question, challenge and subvert imposed prescriptions that diminish learning” (Hargreaves, 2008, p. 188). They look for ways to improve learning and performance for all students.
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Bayouville High School
Bayouville High School (BHS) is one of five public high schools serving the Lafayette Parish Public School System.
For the 2006-2007 school year, BHS earned a rating of “Three Stars” on the State Department of Education’s School Report Card (Louisiana Department of Education) and a growth label of “Exemplary Academic Growth.”
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Demographics and Vital Statistics
Total student population = 2,251 students 3.3% Asian, 27.1% Black, 3.9% Hispanic, 0.4% Native
American, and 65.2% White 52% female and 48% male 28.5% economically disadvantaged 95% of students are fully proficient in the English language 2005-2006 school year – student attendance rate = 92.3%
as compared to 94.6% for District and 93.7% for State. The dropout rate = 3.5% for school as compared to 5% for
District and 4.6% for State. 2006-2007 school year, 91% of core courses taught by
teachers meeting No Child Left Behind (NCLB) highly qualified definition as compared to 81% for District and 84% for State.
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Dimension MeanStandarddeviation Mode Skewness Kurtosis
SSL 2.67 0.88 3 -0.45 -0.45
SVV 2.52 0.77 3 -0.43 -0.31
CLA 2.72 0.74 3 -0.44 0.12
SPP 2.33 0.80 2 0.03 -0.50
SCR 2.67 0.74 3 -0.40 0.02
SCS 2.13 0.85 2 0.12 -0.94SC 2.31 0.86 3 -0.09 -0.84
Table 7. Dimension Composites - Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion
Dimension Composites
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Survey Items
Seven items reflect the dimension of shared personal practice.
Results range from a high on item SPP33 (Staff members informally share ideas and suggestions for improving student learning; M = 2.93; SD =0.78) to a low on item SPP31 (Opportunities exist for staff members to observe peers and offer encouragement; M = 2.09; SD =0.83).
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Histogram of Responses
1 2 3 4 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Shared Personal Practice
Response Options
Su
m o
f th
e R
esp
on
ses
strongly disagree strongly agree
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A Formal Structured Process
The responses to items in this subscale of the assessment indicate the lack of a formal process for peer observation, feedback, or collaborative effort to improve personal practice.
One teacher commented, “All collaboration is voluntary and informal.”
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Sustainable Improvement
McLaughlin (as cited in Schmoker, 2005, p. 144) boldly stated, “The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is developing the ability for school personnel to function as professional learning communities.”
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The Curious Case of Bayou High School A Case Study
Bayou High School
Ronald CormierUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 39
Conceptual Definition•Supportive Conditions – Structures
• Structures include a variety of conditions such as size of the school, proximity of staff to one another, communication systems, and the time and space for staff to meet and examine current practices.
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Demographics
Rural setting (population 5,997)
Declining economy (median income $26,000)
High crime rate / high truancy
Declining student population (300 students)
Free / reduced lunch above 79 %_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Grades 9-12
Twenty-four (24) teachers (12 elective / voc / SPED)
Teacher : student ratio @ 1:9
Average Freshman class 108, graduates 49
Accountability Label: School in Decline (Watch List)
(School Audits)
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District Intervention Reform Effort (SID)
Year 1- Needs Assessment / Sch Imp Plan (SIP) SID*
Year 2 - District Audit – SAM (focus groups, observations, needs assessments) & SIP SID*
Year 3 -Two supervisors, PTLC format, 4 Lead teachers, school audit (DAT) & review, job-embedded PD MG*
Year 4 - Repeat Year 3 interventions, Curriculum Coordinator (PD), DIG audit** (SIP), PLCA-R MG*
* SID = School in Decline, MG = Minimal growth, NG = no growth** DIG Audit – indicated 1/3 of faculty implementing SIP prescribed
innovations with fidelity
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Comparison of the Six Dimensions
Bayou High
Dimensions Mean sd Phase
1. Shared Leadership 2.59 .655 Initiation
2. Shared Vision 2.87 .752 Initiation
3. Collective learning 3.05 .652 Implementation
4. Shared Practice 2.89 .711 Initiation
Supportive Conditions
5. Relationships 2.88 .742 Initiation
6. Structure 3.08 .693 Implementation
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Supportive Conditions - Structure
When, Where, & How the staff works? (Hord, 1997)
School size Teacher & Student Population / grade clusters
Proximity of staff / logistics Physical plant / schedule & location constructs
Resources Data, materials, expertise, technology, communication
Professional development venue Schedule, organization, series, group logistics, focus
Time Personal / professional, quality / quantity
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Highlights of PLCA-R (Conditions-Structure)
Receiving a mean of 3.0 or higher Technology / materials available
Resource people available (expertise/support)
School facility clean, attractive
Proximity of staff – ease of collaboration
Communication: information among staff
Communication: between (district) community
Access to organized data
Time for collaboration / collective learning
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Supportive Conditions – Structureas Applied to Bayou High
School size (small, rural) 1:9 teacher student ratio
Proximity of staff / logistics Departments 2-3 teachers / professional period mtgs.
Resources Data-decisions, Expertise (CC, Lead, Sup), technology
Professional development venue PTLC series / Action Research / Focus on initiatives
Time Job-embedded / Prof. period & department meetings.
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Observations: PLC & Bayou High
Struggling with shared / supportive leadership (m = 2.59, sd = .655)
Disorganization / accountability / follow-through (administration)
Implementation Phases denoted for Supportive Conditions-Structure Collective Learning
Analogy: A (bottom-up) foundation has been constructed, but before any additional construction can be attempted - shared leadership / vision has to be reinforced.
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Are We a Small Learning Community, Professional Learning Community, or a
Combination of Both:
In Any Case, Are We There Yet? A Case Study
Cypress High School
Sandra AntoineUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette 48
Conceptual Definition• Supportive Conditions - Relationships
• Collegial relationships include respect, trust, norms of critical inquiry and improvement, and positive, caring relationships among students, teachers and administrators.
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Cypress High School
Large High School -1,500 Racial and Social Economic Makeup -
60/40 with 40% F/R Professional Staff - 118 with 36%
Masters SPS – 2 stars, SACS Accreditation ACT Scores – 20.2 High School Redesign efforts -10 yrs Change in School and District
Leadership
49
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Professional Learning CommunitySupportive Conditions –Relationships
School conditions and capacities that
support the staff’s arrangement as a professional learning organization
The relationships the staff has with each other that support teachers working together
(Hord, 1997- 1998)
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Comparison of Two High School Reform Initiatives Relating to Building Relationships
Small Learning Community
Culture of respect and equity focused on student achievement
High expectations for all students
Personalize learning environment-project based learning
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Teacher leaders Freshman Transition, Career
Academies , Advisor /Advisory Sessions-Promotes sense of belonging
Collaboration and Co-teaching Celebrates successes
Professional Learning Community
Culture of Respect and Trust focused on student learning
High expectations for all students
Promotes Risk Taking Teacher leaders Sense of Efficacy due to
Positive Relationships Unified and Sustained
Efforts to Embed Change Recognition /Celebrations of
Achievement Systematic and School wide
response when students don’t learn
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Means and Standard Deviations for All Dimensions of Professional Learning Communities Survey
__________________________________________________________________Dimension M SD__________________________________________________________________Shared and Supportive Leadership 2.71 .503Shared Values and Vision 2.77 .464Collective Learning and Application 2.80 .499Shared Personal Practice 2.82 .510Supportive Conditions- Relationships 2.83 .622Supportive Conditions- Structure 2.80 .450
Cypress High SchoolPLCA-R Results
52
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38 Caring Relationships 2.95 .77339 Culture of trust and respect 2.74 .81040 Celebration of achievement 3.14 .72141 Sustained and unified effort 2.53 .80842 Honest examination of data 2.80 .808
PLCA-R Results for Supportive Conditions-Relationships Dimension
Mean and Standard Deviation for PLCA-R Survey Statements _______________________________________________________
Statement M SD
53
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Highlights of PLCA-R Supportive Conditions-Relationships
Greatest Levels of Agreement and Disagreement
Str Dis-
agree
Disagree Agree Str Agree0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
40.00%
45.00%
50.00%
#41- School staff and stakeholders exhibit a sustained and unified effort to embed change into the culture of the school.
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In a professional learning community educators create an environment that fosters mutual cooperation, emotional support, and personal growth as they work together to achieve what they cannot accomplish alone. --PLC at Work
Where are we Now?• How the Small Learning Community initiative can help to
advance Cypress High School Professional Learning Community to the institutionalization level of implementation in the dimension of Supportive Conditions-Relationships.
• How this reported perception of supportive conditions-relationships can be used to address the other areas of the Professional Learning Community that are at lower levels of implementation.
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Assessing Schools asProfessional Learning Communities
Dianne F. Olivier, EDFL - University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Sandra Antoine, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/Iberia Parish
Ronald Cormier, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/Iberia Parish
Virginia Lewis, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/Iberia Parish
Cheri Minckler, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Molly Stadalis, University of Louisiana at Lafayette/St. Mary Parish
???Questions???